Category : Wrist

Have you been experiencing pain in your wrist during day-to-day activities? Wrist pain may be attributed to many things, as the wrist is a complex network of tendons, ligaments, bones, vessels, and cartilage in and around the joints.

A common location of wrist pain is on the small finger side of the wrist, as highlighted in the image above. Pain in this area is referred to as ulnar sided wrist pain because it is on the same side of the wrist as the ulna bone. This area has a large collection of ligaments and cartilage that form a complex structure called the TriangularFibroCartilage Complex, TFCC for short. Pain here can greatly interfere with and limit day-to-day activities. So what should you look for?

What causes ulnar-sided wrist pain?

Acute injuries such as falling on your hand and/or a twisting injury while gripping can cause pain on this side of your wrist. Another culprit for such wrist pain can be repetitive stress from continued gripping and/or weight bearing. Sports such as tennis, baseball and gymnastics are examples of activities where these types of recurring injuries most often happen.

Tendons are fibrous cords that are similar to a rope, attached to muscles and bone. The tendons that control movement in your hands, wrists and fingers run through your forearm. There are 6 tendons that help move your wrist. The wrist tendons are:

Flexor carpi radialis: This tendon is one of two tendons that bend the wrist. It attaches to the base of the second and third hand bones. It also attaches to the trapezium, one of your wrist bones.

Flexor carpi ulnaris: This is the other tendon that bends the wrist. It attaches to the pisiform, another wrist bone, and to the 5th hand bone.

Palmaris longus tendon: This tendon is unique because only 3/4 of the population has it. For those who do have it, it can vary in size. It is, however, a tendon you can live without because it has very little function in the hand and wrist. This tendon is often used to repair other tendons since it serves such a small purpose.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is one of the most common conditions of the hand and wrist. It is the result of pressure on a nerve in the wrist which leads to pain, numbness, tingling and a weak grip. Carpal Tunnel can prevent you from enjoying hobbies or daily activities that you enjoy. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, visit a hand surgeon to discuss potential treatment options for you.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome can be treated in a variety of ways, including:

Changing the way you use your hands

Wearing a wrist splint

Steroid injection

Surgery

Watch our 3-minute video above to hear directly from a hand surgeon about the causes, symptoms and treatment options for this condition. Or, go to www.HandCare.org to read about Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, watch other videos, and view printable resources.

Kienbock’s Disease, also known as avascular necrosis of the lunate, is a disease that can result in pain and stiffness in the wrist. The lunate is one of eight small bones in the wrist that give the wrist its complex and unique motion. “Avascular necrosis” is a lack of blood supply to the bone, which results in bone death. Blood supply is important to all bones to grow, heal, and provide structure and support to the body. Without blood supply, the lunate may not provide the same support and structure needed for proper wrist function.

What is the cause of Kienbock’s Disease? Can it be prevented?

There are several theories about the cause of Kienbock’s Disease, but a single cause has not been identified. Multiple variables are thought to be involved, including a history of wrist trauma. Other contributing factors include variations in anatomy such as the position of the forearm bones at the wrist, the shape of the lunate, and the pattern of blood supply to the lunate. Most of these factors are not able to be controlled by the patient.

There is no way that we know to prevent Kienbock’s Disease. However, it is important to identify this problem as soon as possible in order to prevent progression of the disease which can lead to wrist arthritis. This ultimately can cause pain, stiffness, and decreased function in the wrist.

Did you know? While 72% of Americans use smart phones, there is no evidence to suggest that smart phone use has resulted in an uptick of wrist and hand pain. At least not yet. Read more.

The wrist muscles and forearm muscles do so much more than give you strength in your arm and wrist. These muscles also play a part in helping you move your hand and fingers. There are 18 different muscles!

The wrist joints lie between the many different bones in the wrist and forearm. Many wrist injuries (such as fractures, also known as a broken bone) involve the joint surface. There are three joints in the wrist:

Radiocarpal joint: This joint is where the radius, one of the forearm bones, joins with the first row of wrist bones (scaphoid, lunate, and triquetrum).

Ulnocarpal joint: This joint is where the ulna, one of the forearm bones, joins with the lunate and triquetrum wrist bones. This joint is commonly injured when you sprain your wrist. Some people are born with (or develop) an ulna that is longer than the radius, which can cause stress and pain on the joint, known as ulnocarpal abutment (impaction) syndrome.

Distal radioulnar joint: This joint is where the two forearm bones connect. Pain with this joint can sometimes be a challenging problem to treat.

Learn more about the joints of the wrist and also the bones of the wrist in our Anatomy section. You can also visit www.HandCare.org for information on conditions and injuries of the hand, wrist, arm and shoulder.

A wrist fracture is a medical term for a broken wrist. Breaking your wrist can involve any of the eight small bones that make up the wrist, which are connected to the forearm bones called the radius and the ulna. The radius is the most common bone to break in a wrist fracture. This injury typically happens from falling on an outstretched hand, but it can also result from traumatic events such as a car accident. While wrist fractures can vary in severity, here are five signs that you may have broken your wrist rather than simply spraining it:

The HandCare Blog is managed by the American Society for Surgery of the Hand, the oldest and most prestigious medical specialty society dedicated to the hand and upper extremity. Visit www.HandCare.org for more information about conditions, injuries and treatment of the hand, arm, elbow and shoulder.